I'm Sorry
by Jaimee Black
Summary: I can’t protect you without holding a sword I can’t embrace you while holding a sword. 19 year old Naruto lost the girl he fell in love with and goes back in time to save her, but he has to make a choice, Love her, Or protect her? HIATUS
1. Chapter 1: Meet the Hero's

I can't protect you without holding a sword

I can't embrace you while holding a sword

././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

Naruto hugged the motionless body close, "Come on Yu-chan…" He whispered, "Wake up, it's not funny to pretend to be…to be…to be asleep when I'm so worried…"

_Kit…she's gone_.

"No she's not! She's…she's just asleep…" Naruto whispered, brushing the pale blonde hair from the bodies face. Her silver eyes were shut and her mouth was just barely open, as though to breathe, even though no air stirred within her lungs.

_Kit, She's dead. I refuse to allow you to deny this. She contained my mate, too, self-pity will get you nowhere!_ Kyuubi called from within her vessels mind.

Naruto seized up and his sapphire eyes forced themselves away from the pale face, frozen in death.

_What am I supposed to do then Kyuubi? This was a stupid mistake! I can't…I can't do this without her!_

A dark chuckle sounded from deep within the depths of his mind. _There is…one option._

_What?_

_You recall what the Hyuuga said in the Chuunin Exams? _Naruto nodded, even though Kyuubi couldn't see him. _Good. There was a failed kidnapping attempt on the Hyuuga Heiress by a Kumo Ninja. If you could stop the other Hyuuga from killing him and expose what he was trying to do-_

_Then Kumo would owe Konoha and we could get them to send…Yu-chan earlier to avoid bad relations, only problem is, that was almost two decades ago._

_What…exactly, are you willing to do to get our mates back?_

Naruto looked at the prone form in his lap. A slight breeze stirred the light hair, the color akin to moonlight, and Naruto felt his heart throb with a pain he thought unimaginable.

_I'd do anything._

_Good. Then what you need to do…Is become The Kyuubi and merge with me._

Naruto froze. Kyuubi had mentioned merging a few years back, but the process would require Kyuubi to die and Kyuubi had become a good friend to him and he was angered by the idea that she thought he would sacrifice a friend so readily for his own power.

_Fox!_ He hissed angrily.

_Naruto, As my heir, you would gain the ability to travel through time…once. It was a gift from the Shinigami to the first Kyuubi no Kitsune. Now every Kyuubi is allowed the ability once, and if you went back sixteen years in the past, I would still be the reigning Kyuubi and would remain so until time caught up with itself._

Naruto looked down at Nii Yugito, the only girl he could imagine loving.

…_I guess…I accept furball._

_Then hold on, this is going to be a wild ride!_

Naruto started to form a retort, but it was cut short as a blast of red chakra shot through him and began invading every cell in his body. This in itself was painful, but what was even more excruciating was the eight extra bones that were growing themselves from his tailbone.

He screamed wordlessly, curling into the fetal position. Yugito's body was forced away by the pure chakra Naruto's body was emitting from his every pore.

Naruto began gasping and his mind bordered on the edge of unconsciousness.

_Hold on Kit, if you lose it now, You'll die, I'll die, and half of Fire Country will die!_

Naruto forced himself away from the darkness that threatened to consume him and forced his thoughts to send a coherent question to Kyuubi._ When will we leave?_

…_Now actually._

_What?_

But before the question was fully formed, they were gone, leaving nothing but a moon washed clearing and the body of a much beloved girl. A few seconds later the body and clearing faded into nonexistence as the future warped itself to the machinations of the past.

**././././. the Hyuuga compound, approximately 16 years previously././././././**

Naruto sat up holding his head, "Ow…ow…ow.." He muttered, wincing as his head throbbed in time to the sounds of the night.

_Shh, Kit. The Kumo nin is coming!_ Kyuubi hissed, the headache disappearing with a pulse of her chakra.

_WHAT? I haven't had any time to prepare!_ Naruto scrambled up a nearby tree and began working on freeing a branch, a plan half forming as he moved.

Meanwhile, a man sporting a cloud headband jumped into the small clearing just outside the compound to silently celebrate his capture. He kept his guard up, looking around as a smirk formed on his face. Out of the shadows behind him, Hyuuga Hiashi emerged. The head of the Hyuuga Clan looked emotionless, but his eyes spoke of the untold fury he was experiencing.

"Return my daughter, scum." He growled.

The man twisted, surprised, "Or Not." He snorted slipping into a Taijutsu stance, and was about to launch himself at Hiashi when a loud war cry and a large pain on the top of his head knocked him out.

Naruto blinked and looked at the unconscious Jounin below him. Mentally he expressed his disbelief that this idiot had been allowed on such a high profile mission.

"That…was really easy…" He muttered and looked up at the stunned clan head in front of him.

Behind the Hyuuga Head, dozens of other Hyuuga members began to emerge and surround the fallen Cloud Ninja, The Hyuuga Heiress, and Hyuuga Hiashi.

Naruto plastered a fake smile on his face, inwardly wincing and wishing he had more time to prepare a believable story for his sudden appearance

Hiashi was the first to speak, "…Uzumaki Naruto? What are you doing here?"

Naruto thought for a minute, desperately trying to think of a credible story. and after a long wait he announced, "…hanging out…"

Most of the supposedly unflappable Hyuuga twitched.

Hiashi, though, just blinked and nodded, "Well, you have the thanks of my family." He gently scooped up Hinata and walked away, leaving his twin brother to drag the motionless body of the Kumo Jounin to the Hokage.

Naruto stayed with Hizashi the entire time, and when they got to the Hokage's office, he told the old man his side of the story and ended up falling asleep on the little couch over in the corner.

The next morning, when Naruto woke up, he only got a few seconds to wonder why he didn't look like a fox before the Sandaime was crouching next to him and smiling.

"Well, you had a busy night, didn't you Naruto."

Naruto smiled, trying to act like a three year old him, "Yup!" He wiggled slightly as he moved himself into a sitting position.

Sarutobi laughed and went back to his desk, "Now, if only I could figure out how to solve this little problem."

Naruto grinned foxily, "Well…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Some Time Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kit, we need to talk… Akira's voice rang in his head.

Huh? Nah…m'seepy…

Just get in here so we can talk. Akira grumbled with an exasperated sigh.

Naruto found himself in the sewer that was his mind. He sighed, "My mind is always in the gutter…probably because of the perverts I surround myself with…" He muttered as he walked to Akira's cage.

He stood in front of the demoness, idly noting he was in his nineteen-year-old body, Kitsune attachment out in full splendor.

"So what do you want Akira-chan?" He asked.

Akira regarded him, a slight frown marring her huge muzzle. You have a difficult choice to make kit. She told him, sorrow marring her voice

"Choice?" Naruto asked in bewilderment.

Akira nodded, and to Naruto's surprise, began shrinking, until she was in her Human form. The demon lady looked Naruto in the eyes. Kit, I've been going over our past timeline very carefully in order to mark events we can change, and mark events that must not be changed and I've realzed... you cannot safely pursue a relationship with Yugito until the timeline has caught up with itself, and maybe not even after that. For now you must choose one, protect her, or love her.

Naruto's mouth went dry, "What? Why?"

Akira regarded him solemnly, red eyes full of sympathy. When someone is in a relationship, their senses dull. Their minds are constantly occupied, and this makes them hazy and unfocused. Protecting a precious person will do the opposite, but a precious person you are in a relationship with causes them to occupy their thoughts, you cannot train your chakra because the mental energy you would normally expend towards it will be engaged in thoughts of her. You will not be able to protect Yugito and be with her at the same time.

Naruto stared at Akira, his gaze was unfocused and she could almost hear the blonde boy's heart ripping in half as he considered the possibility of a future knowing and loving Yugito, but being unable to be with her.

"Can…can you train me?" Naruto finally managed.

Akira regarded him, and nodded. Of course, it is only fitting I train my heir. The only stipulation I have is that you learn Gaijutsu.

Naruto twitched, heartache momentarily suspended by the mental image of a jutsu that involved green jumpsuits "Gai?..."

The Kyuubi no Kitsune laughed, glad her container could bring his mind to focus on something else. Not that mortal with the Eyebrows bent on world destruction. Gai as in Scythe.

Naruto sighed and nodded, "Yeah…" He sat down, a faraway look in his eyes.

Akira walked over and sat next to him, understanding. It's not every day you had to choose between being able to protect the one you love, and being able to love them.

"I will always love her." He swore to her and himself.

Kit, The Goddess of Luck Started, Naruto looked at her dully. Training starts now.

A scythe appeared in midair. Its handle looked like a spine set in silver. The part where the blade connected was a skull with rubies embedded randomly. The blade was fairly large and so sharp the edge seemed to disappear.*

"Wow…" Naruto murmured.

This scythe will manifest outside of your mindscape when you wake up, it is charged so that no one will be able to touch it, but you, unless you have given them clear, concise permission. Which means they can't take a loophole like 'I'll let you hold it sometime' and exploit it. Akira informed him.

"Right."

And now, we train.

…..One Year Later-Suna….

The Kazekage scowled, "With concession Kumo made of their Jinchuuriki, Kumo and Konoha's relations have been better than ever…" he muttered, paranoia dominant in his thoughts.

"They could attack me and I would never win a war against both of them!" He scowled even more, "I need something to tie them to me…" His eyes wandered to a report made by his brother-in-law about Gaara's seal becoming even more unstable with the young boy's loss of sleep.

He shook his head, "No, Temari has been getting too close to the demon for that to work…" He continued to think, when the solution to both the problem previously presented, and the problem of his daughter becoming too close to the demon boy occurred to him

"That may work…" He nodded and pressed a button.

"Yes Kazekage-sama?" His secretary answered the call from beyond the soundproofed door.

"Get Yashamaru to bring my children over." He said curtly.

"Hai Kazekage-sama."

He smiled and sat back in his chair to wait. A little over twenty minutes later his three children were standing in front of him, Yashamaru awaitin instructions in the other room.

"Children, as you know our situation with Konoha and other countries is deteriorating fast," He began.

The younger Temari and Gaara looked to Kankuro for a translation.

"…A lot of people aren't happy with us." The six-year-old said after a minute.

The Kazekage nodded, "In order to improve our standing-"

"To make them happier with us," Kankuro continued to translate for his still confused younger siblings without hesitation.

"-I am going to send two of you to become Konoha Shinobi."

"Two of us are gonna be ninja for Kono- wait, what?" Kankuro blinked at his father in disbelief.

"Temari, Gaara, I am sending you on an A-rank mission to be Konoha Shinobi and help improve relations. Dismissed children."

Temari clutched at Kankuro and Gaara who frowned at his sister at this surprising show of affection.

"Father, W-why?" She stuttered.

The Kazekage frowned, "I said, Dismissed Children."

Temari whimpered and, not releasing either brother, left was drug from the room by Suna ANBU.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Week Later, Temari and Gaara, Hokage's Office~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So you will be living in the Namikaze estate with two other children and their appointed Guardian, Miterashi Anko." The Hokage said kindly, trying not to spook the obviously unhappy children in front of him.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." Temari said quietly, keeping her eyes on the floor, Gaara's hand hald firmly in her own.

Sarutobi frowned at the girl's timidness, "…Why don't I take you there? We can walk together." He said and reached for their hands. Gaara flinched and Temari barely reacted at all, besides to pull Gaara back slightly and take Sarutobi's hand in her own.

'I wonder what could have happened to these children…' Sandaime mused to himself, and pondered it as he made his way to the top of Hokage Mountain, where the Namikaze Estate was located.

They stood in front of the gates and Temari's eyes got huge, "Wow! It's big!" She said, with the first emotion she had shown since she had arrived.

"WHY ME? DEAR KAMI IF I SURVIVE CHILDHOOD AND LIVING WITH THIS PYSCHO BITCH I WILL NEVER AGAIN ATTEMPT TO BEND SPACE AND TIME FOR MY OWN NEEDS!" Came a wail from inside the house, followed by a, "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME BRAT?" Coming from an obviously feminine voice followed by a much younger girl's voice wailing, "ANKO-SAN, NO! NARUTO-KUN WON'T SURVIVE YOU PUTTING A KUNAI THERE!"

Gaara looked at the Hokage with terror in his sea foam green eyes, "What is that?" He asked in a timid voice.

"Ah, I believe the first voice was Naruto-kun, He's your age Gaara, and the second voice was Anko-chan, she's your guardian, and the third was Yugito-chan, who has saved Naruto from the 'righteous justice' of their caretaker more times than I can count, she's three." He smiled fondly at the house and the makeshift family it contained.

Temari clutched her little brother to herself, "May Kami-sama have mercy on our souls…"

"Oy Baka! Get up! Old man says there's something wrong with Sasuke-chan!"

Eight-year-old Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto blinked in surprise as his Seven-year-old friend Nii Yugito shook him from his flashback.

"Old man dropped by! Itachi-sempai…The Uchiha Clan is gone, 'cept for Sasuke-chan and Mikoto-kaachan! And Sasuke-chan is in a coma!" Yugito was frantic.

"Yugito-hime relax! We can wake Sasuke up, we always do!" Naruto said, hugging the smaller girl.

Yugito sniffed "But Naruto-kun… this isn't like the time we kept Sasuke-chan up for thirty-six hours and he fell asleep on Yondaime-sama's nose…"

"Trust me Yu-hime." Naruto grinned winningly at her and the younger Jinchuuriki nodded, wiping the barely formed tears from her eyes.

"Anko?" Naruto called to the worried woman in the doorway, "Would you tell Temari-chan, Gaara-chan, Hinata-chan, and Neji-chan that you've taken Yugito-chan to the hospital?"

Anko nodded slowly and raised an eyebrow at the blonde boy, "Where will you be gaki?"

"I'm gonna go make a bet with the old man." Naruto smirked.

Yugito wiped the tears from her eyes, "That's not fair Naruto-kun…You have Akira Goddess of Luck in your stomach…"

Naruto grinned, "Yeah, but this is the bet you, me, and Sasuke-chan have been waiting for."

Yugito's eyes lit up, and she smirked impishly, "Fate is on your side Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded, "Tell Jashin thanks."

Yugito nodded, "He says you're welcome."

Naruto nodded and took off towards the front door where the Sandaime Hokage was standing, expecting the young boy to be worried for his friend and ready with explanations.

Naruto carefully went through what he wanted to say in his head, wanting there to be no loopholes for the Old Man to wriggle through when he was done. More than halfway to the hospital, he decided to breach conversation, "Hey, Ojiji, Wanna make a bet?"

Sarutobi looked at the young boy, who had remained silent for most of the trip, "What kind of bet Naruto?"

Naruto smiled, which startled the Sandiame who had expected the child to be too distraught to think of anything but his fallen friend, "If Yugito-hime and I can wake Sasuke up, you let us out of the village to train until it's time for us to take the Genin Exams. But if we can't find a responsible sensei within the first month we'll return."

Sarutobi sighed, "Naruto…two eight-year-olds and a seven-year-old traveling on their own? Even for one month… I don't know…"

Naruto growled quietly, "Come on Oji-san! If we leave, it will get the villagers to stop staring at Yugito-hime and me like…you know, and Sasuke can train without having everything handed to him on a golden platter, you know it'll happen-"

"Assuming you can wake him up." The Sandaime interrupted.

"Yu-hime and I are his best friends; of course we'll be able to wake him up." Naruto replied, "But, anyways, do you want a self-righteous avenger on your hands when you could have Konoha's troubles disappear for five years, and come back as trained shinobi, as well as having the last loyal Uchiha a somewhat normal Shinobi, instead of one obsessed with killing Itachi-sempai?"

Sarutobi gulped when Naruto met his eyes when he said 'Itachi-sempai'

"Naruto…" The Sandaime began.

"Come on Oji-san, if Yu-hime and I wake Sasuke up, then we can go. Otherwise we'll stay and I won't mention it again." Naruto bargained, employing a minor genjutsu to make his eyes to look just a tiny bit wider and more pleading.

Sarutobi sighed and nodded, "Fine, we have a deal."

Naruto grinned and jumped up, "Thanks Hokage-oji! Now, let's go get Sasuke!"

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, "Won't you need Yugito-chan?" He asked.

Naruto waved slightly, "Eh, She's already at the hospital, I sent her there before hand."

The Sandaime sweat dropped, "…Confident brat, huh?"

"Better believe it!" Naruto grinned.

They began walking, but Naruto slowly increased his pace until they were nearly running.

"What's the rush Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi asked, his robes flapping around him.

"Well, I kinda don't want to…uh, be caught by any Hyuuga…" He mumbled so the Hokage just caught a few words of it.

"The Hyuuga? Why would you want to avoid the Hyuuga?" He asked in surprise.

"Ah-ha, well…funny story…-"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Within the last Week~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hinata, you must be stronger!" And elder Hyuuga snarled grabbing the tiny girls arm and shaking her sternly.

"I-i-i-i-I'm s-s-s-s-s-s-sorry..." Hinata sobbed, nearly incoherent in her tears.

"If you keep up with this impudence we will have no choice but to find a way to…motivate you!" A second elder threatened, waving a hand. Two reluctant looking Branch Members pulled a confused looking brunet boy forward.

"N-n-n-neji-niisan!" Hinata called, wide-eyed as the Elder's words were given meaning.

"Yes." A third Elder nodded, "We cannot have the rest of the world seeing such a weak child as you and judging the rest of our clan on you, therefore we find we must use any means necessary to motivate you."

"Neji-niisan!" Hinata cried, trying to wrench her arm from the elder holding her and reach the older boy.

"Hinata-imouto!" Neji cried, struggling to get to the worn and beaten girl, but the third elder moved forward and grabbed him, motioning the Banch members to move away.

The first elder scowled and made a handsign, forcing Neji to his knees in pain.

"N-no! I-I'll get stronger! I-I Promise!" Hinata cried, reaching futilely for her beloved cousin.

"That's not good enough Hinata-_sama_." The Hyuuga holding the sign sneered.

"Is this the honorable Hyuuga clan at its best?" Snarled Naruto, jumping down from a tree, his scythe secured firmly on his back.

"Lleave, now, Demon-brat, you are trespassing and this is none of your business. Leave before I am forced to deal with you." The second elder said dropping the hand sign to move in front of the other two elders and the children.

"How about…No." Naruto growled, flashing through hand seals.

The Hyuuga elder settled into the Jyuuken stance and waited, but to his surprise, and the surprise of the first elder and Hinata, Naruto walked to Neji, completely ignoring the Elder who had dropped him, and knelt by the boy who was panting on the ground, eyes unfocused.

"Namikaze Promise: Caged Bird Seal: Release!"

Neji froze and his forehead glowed blue. He finally let out a sigh and relaxed, falling unconscious.

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked quietly, ceasing her struggles long enough for the Elder holding her to grow lax. With a ferocious move she twisted from his grip and moved to kneel by her cousin.

"He's fine Hinata-chan." Naruto said smiling tiredly at the girl.

"Demon! What did you do?" The first Hyuuga elder threatened, eyeing Neji warily.

"I saved him from a terrible fate." Naruto said, unknown to all three elders and the children on the ground a much older Neji's voice echoed the word Fate from a future that would now not happen.

Naruto shook his head and hoisted the older boy over his shoulder, and smiled at Hinata. "Come on Hinata-chan. I've gotten permission from your father for you and Neji to live at my clan house." He said, glaring at the Hyuuga Elders.

"Y-you can't do this!" the Second sputtered.

"Yes, I can, actually. Have a nice day." Naruto took Hinata's hand. Together they walked out of the compound. Just before they turned the corner, Naruto saw Hiashi mouthing 'Thank you' his solemn brother watching, sad resignation in his eyes, but also knowledge that his son would still be in the village, but out from under the control of the Hyuuga Council.

Naruto grinned and nodded at the twin brothers.

Sarutobi blinked, "…You released the Caged Bird Seal?" He asked in disbelief.

Naruto sheepishly scratched his head, "Uh…yeah…Now Anko's gonna train Hinata and Neji to develop their own style of the Jyuuken…Would you look at that, We're at the hospital! Time sure flies when you're trying to avoid explaining why you developed a jutsu to undo a Major Clan's seal."

"Naruto…"

"To Sasuke-chan!"

The Sandaime smiled at the attempt to keep off the conversation of the boy's intellect, but frowned as they came upon an ANBU who was talking with Yugito.

"Listen, the emo in a coma is my best friend, my other best friend is dragging the Hokage here as we speak." Yugito was trying to explain.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you-Hokage-sama!" The Inu masked ANBU jumped to attention as his leader came into view.

Yugito turned and grinned at them, "Hey Naruto, Old man. Did you talk to him about the trip?"

Naruto nodded and Yugito's grin widened, "Sasuke'll be happy when he wakes up."

Sarutobi shook his head at them, "You two are pretty certain of your abilities, huh?"

They nodded in unison, "Yup!"

He shook his head, "Alright then, let's go."

Inu bowed his head and moved out of the way. The Sandaime led Yugito and Naruto to Sasuke's room, where they paled slightly at the sight of their mutual friend.

The dark haired boy was staring at the ceiling, his ebony eyes were almost as pale at Yugito's own.

"He is technically awake, but has been classified as in a coma because he responds to nothing." The Hokage told them quietly.

"We'll see…" Naruto murmured.

Yugito walked over and sat next to Sasuke. Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to shake off the melancholy the sight of her friend had caused, she raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "Sasuke? You look terrible…Your fangirls raped you didn't they?"

To the Hokage's utter shock, Sasuke's eyes dilated rapidly.

Naruto sat on the bed, grinning at his friend and showing no sign of the unease the sight of his friend in this condition caused him, "Don't worry, they have therapy for that kind of stuff, but the absolute horror…Which one was it? It wasn't Ami, right? She's more male than female."

The Hokage watched as Sasuke's fists clenched and his eyes grew darker, dilating more and shifting just slightly so his focus was more on Naruto than the ceiling.

Yugito chimed in once more, "Man, this sucks, raped by fangirls at six…Raped by Ami at six! You'll be beyond help after this!"

Apparently, that did it. Sasuke's hands shot out and grabbed both blondes by the front of the t-shirt, dragging them close as Sasuke sat up.

"I. Would. Never. Let. Anyone. Rape. Me. _Particularly_ Ami." He hissed into their faces.

"Thank god." Naruto said, pulling Sasuke's hand off of him and straightening his shirt.

"You okay, teme?" Yugito asked quietly, untangling herself from Sasuke's fist.

"…My brother murdered my whole clan, then forced me to watch using a level of our bloodline that I don't want." Sasuke remarked dryly, taking a deep breath and rubbing his face.

Yugito blinked, "…That sucks."

Naruto laughed and shook his head, "Kami, hime, talk about understatement."

Sasuke glared at them, but his eyes held traces warmth and humor.

"So, Naruto, I guess…I owe you three that trip." The Hokage said, drawing attention back to himself.

Sasuke looked at Naruto in disbelief, "You got him to agree, dobe?" Something else occurred to him, "You…You bet our trip on me waking up? You Moron!" He glared

Naruto grinned, "Yeah, that's pretty much it." He dodged as Sasuke tried to smack him.

Yugito rolled her eyes and the Sandaime sighed, he should have known they had already planned this whole trip.

"I've still got all that stuff you told me to get sealed in that scroll in my backpack." Sasuke said, pointing at a bag in the corner that the ANBU had retrieved along with him.

"Right then, we'll leave tomorrow!" Naruto said, then looked at the Hokage, abashed, "Err, if you're okay with that Old Man…"

Sarutobi frowned, " I suppose…but you must send in a report every three months, and return before the Genin exam when you are all at least fourteen." He glanced at Yugito, "And thirteen." Yugito pouted at the reminder that she was younger.

./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

The next morning, they all met up in front of the gate and smiled at each other. For a moment Sasuke frowned and looked into the distance.

"I have to kill him, you know, to avenge my clan."

Naruto frowned, "Sasuke, going down that road is a one-way ticket to hell." He said seriously.

"But-" Sasuke began to protest.

"No buts," Yugito interrupted, "Would your family want you to live a half-life? Or a full life and be happy? Mikoto-kaasan would kick our asses if we came back with an avenger…"

Sasuke stared at them, and then the ground, "…I…guess…"

"Besides," Naruto added, "There's something about the massacre even you don't know."

"Tell him later." Yugito said, glancing at the few villagers who were out and about, who were giving them evil looks, "Let's leave now."

Naruto nodded and the three walked calmly out the gate.

Naruto tilted his face toward the rising sun, it was a new beginning, for them all. He allowed himself to get lost in the minute, There was nothing that could go wrong. He was with friends, there were no perverts in sight and Naruto wouldn't have to put up with perverts. Did he mention there were no perverts? Then-

"First stop, I'm Henge-ing into an older person and buying one of those orange books Anko is always reading, she let me read part of one once, and it looked good." Yugito said decisively.

Naruto slapped his face, He jinxed it!

././././././././././././././././././././././././././././Six years later././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

Three people stood in front of the Konoha Gates, nostalgic looks on their faces.

The first was a fairly tall boy, with blonde hair that had the random auburn streak in it, wearing black shinobi pants and a black shirt, a long dark blue trench coat covered the rest of his body and a mask covered the bottom half of his face. Behind him the golden hued tail of a kitsune swung behind him.

The second, a boy with slightly spiked black hair, wore a leather coat with several pockets. Underneath he wore a black wife beater. Like the first we wore Shinobi pants, but these were dark green and on one of the pockets was the famous Uchiha symbol, behind him an Ookami tail was unnaturally still.

The third, a girl with hair paler blonde than the first, wore a short, zipped up grey hoodie. A baseball cap sat firmly on her head and her pants were Shinobi, like the first two, but a dark, almost black, blue. She, too, wore a mask, and her hands ghosted over a book known throughout the ninja world as Icha Icha Paradise. A pale neko tail twitched around her legs. Her eyes were a paler grey than they had been when she had first left the village.

"We're back." She said quietly, closing the book softly and tucking it in the pocket of her hoodie. No bulge presented itself and her companions smiled slightly at the reminder of the containment seal located in each of their respective pockets.

"No really?" The dark haired boy asked, rolling his eyes.

"Feels nice." The second boy remarked, ignoring his male friend in favor of answering the girl's words.

"Whatever, Bastard, Let's go report to the old man." The girl sniped at her dark haired companion.

"Yeah, sure, You coming Naruto?"

"Yeah, let's go Sasuke-teme, Yugito-hime… We're home now." The blonde remarked.

"Right…Naruto-kun…" Yugito nodded.


	2. Chapter 2: Genin! And Yugito's Student

The Sandaime Hokage observed the three people in front of him with barely suppressed irritation. The irritation could be attributed to two of them being complete outcasts, and the third being an unemotional bastard. It could even be because none of them looked the slightesy bit repentant for being a day late. It could even be because they were currently hiding their demon status underneath cloaks of Varying colors. Red for Sasuke, Blue for Naruto, and Violet for Yugito.

But the real reason that Sarutobi Sasuke was irritated at Uchiha Sasuke, Nii Yugito, and Namikaze Uzamaki Naruto was because Miterashi Anko, Hyuugas Hinata and Neji, Subaku no Gaara and Temari, Uchiha Mikoto, and Imino Iruka had been in his office all day yesterday fretting about the three missing children and forcing him to do his paperwork.

"Do you know what time it is?" He asked testily.

"19 hundred hours military time." Yugito replied smartly.

"Four in the Afternoon." Naruto added.

"Roughly twenty-five hours after the Genin exams were complete." Sasuke finished.

"All three." The Sandaime huffed.

"Ojii-san.." Naruto began.

"Don't you 'Ojii-san' me! I had six worried people in my office all day yesterday, and they wouldn't leave me alone!" The Professor snapped, "And to top it off, three children I had sent off years ago were late, and the only indication I had of your whereabouts was the _late_ report I got saying you were on your way. **And** you missed the Genin Exam."

"You could have had ANBU escort the worried people off." Yugito said, disconcerting the Sandaime by staring off behind his shoulder.

"We said we'd be here in a week, and it's been exactly a week since we sent the report." Sasuke protested.

"And you can administer the Genin exam right here and now." Naruto grinned cheekily.

The God of Shinobi blinked at the straightforward answers. "...Did you rehearse this?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nope." Were the simultaneous replies, causing the suspicious village leader to stare at them narrowly.

"...The Genin Exam Old Man?" Yugito asked hopefully, still staring past his shoulder.

"...Fine, Dispel the Genjutsu." Sarutobi sighed, placing a basic Genjutsu on them, the effect of which would hold the appearance of all light disappearing from the world.

Sasuke and Naruto made a sign and said, in unison, "Kai!"

The Sandaime looked expectantly at Yugito, who gave a small laugh, "Sight based Genjutsu don't work on me Old Man."

Sarutobi blinked, then slowly nodded as comprehension dawned on his, "Okay... Yugito-chan, dispel this Gnejutsu." He placed a genjutsu on her that would make her believe she was in a hot, smelly room.

"Kai." She murmured, making the same sign as the boys and smiling at the Hokage as the chakra that surrounded her was dispelled with the illusion.

He cleared his throat, "Please preform Kawarimi."

They all made the handsign and three of the ANBU that had hidden through various means around the room were suddenly in front of him and The three troublemakers were snickering from the shadows.

Sarutobi gave a small cough and the ANBU disappeared and Yugito, Naruto, and Sasuke walked back to their former places.

"Now, please make three Clones." He said.

Instead of making the hand sign that would summon the Academy Illusion based clones, each of the Three made hand signs that Sarutobi had never seen before.

"Light Style:Clone Jutsu!" Naruto said and beside him a clone appeared, the only noticeable difference being that the clones grin was shining, quite literally.

" Lava Style:Clone Jutsu!" Sasuke whispered and beside him a doppelganger appeared, giving off a noticeable heat.

" Darkness Style:Clone Jutsu!" Yugito murmured and the Shadows in the room swarmed towards her before taking on a humanoid form, and then wrapped themselves in Yugito's appearance.

"...I see you were not exaggerating when you said that your elemental affinities were odd." The professor remarked coolly, while inside his mind a Chibi Sandaime had a heart attack.

After a deep breathe he looked at them slowly, "Do I even want a taijutsu demonstration?"

"NO!" Naruto cried, eyes wide and hands waving.

Sarutobi stared and him and Sasuke snickede while Yugito looked sheepish.

"Trust me." Naruto nodded sagely.

"Alright." The oldest Hokage in history reached into his desk and pulled out three Headbands, "You are now Genin of Konohagakure."

"What about our teams?" Asked Yugito curiously as they took the proffered headbands.

"I'd assumed you'd want to be together." Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"We do." Sasuke nodded.

"We just wanted to make sure that you knew that." Naruto finished.

"I figured you came as a ready made team." Sarutobi told them.

"Who's our sensei?" They asked together and the Sandaime felt a little weirded out as the perfectly matching tones and expressions.

Just then the door opened and a grey haired ninja poked his head in, "Sandaime-sama, my team failed so-"

"He's your sensei. Take them." The God of Shinobi said, pushing the silver haired man and the three newly-instated Genin out of his office before any of them could think of anything to say.

The masked man twitched before looking at his new students, "..."

"..."

"...Meet me at training grounds seven." He grumbled disappearing via shushin.

-At Training Grounds Seven-

Hatake Kakashi appeared in the forested area with a sigh, Damn that old man and the fact that Kakashi himself had decided to show up early to report the loss of his Genin so he could spend a little more time with his precious...

Before his thoughts could continue three Chakra signatures made themselves known fast approaching. Looking around the silver haired Jounin saw no one, but the owners of the signatures soon appeared in their own odd ways.

A spot in the center of the Meadow that Kakashi had chosen began growing brighter until, with a flash, Naruto appeared with a bemused look on his face, Right next to him a small puddle of magma bubbled up, and Sasuke steeped out with a small sigh. Yugito was the only one not present, but when Kakashi looked around he found her sitting in his shadow looking confused.

"Wrong shadow, Hime." Sasuke called.

"Damn." Yugito muttered, standing up and plopping down by her comrades.

"Uh...huh..." Kakashi said, eyeing the three, "...Well, why don't we introduce ourselves. Tell me your name, your likes, your dislikes, your hobbies, your dreams for the future, and..." He hesitated, but their way of entering had made him too curious, "Your chakra type, if you know it."

There was silence.

"Why don't I go first." Kakashi sighed, losing the chance to look really cool. "My name is Hatake Kakashi, My likes...are none of your business, I have dislikes, my dreams for the future? Hm, haven't really thought about… My chakra type is Lightening."

"We didn't learn anything but his name!" Sasuke grumped.

"Naruto." Yugito pouted.

Naruto sighed, "Second level should do.." He whispered to himself, intriguing Kakashi.

"Mugengan!" Naruto hissed, his eyes bled silver, his pupil disappeared and black chain's circled his iris.

"Hatake Kakashi, Likes: Icha Icha Paradise, His old team, Teamwork. Dislikes: Traitors, Iwa nin," Yugito scowled, "And people who treat their comrades like trash. Dreams for the future...are non-existant. Chakra type is Lightning, will a lesser atunement to fire." Naruto nodded and his eyes faded back to blue.

Kakashi stared in disbelief, "You-how?"

Naruto grinned, "I'm Namikaze Uzamaki Naruto. My likes are my friends, Mizu-sensei, Hyouton-chan, Yugito-hime, Hone-kun, Sasuke-chan," Sasuke scowled at the honorific, "Neji, Hinata, Iruka-sensei, Gaara, Temari, Mikoto, and Anko. I also Like Ramen...a lot...My dislikes are People who are cruel without reason for it," Kakashi was suprised when all three of the Genin seemed to wilt, "My dreams for the future are to Bbe Hokage and protect my friends and have a family. My chakra type is Light."

Sasuke started without a prompt, "I'm Uchiha Sasuke. My likes are all the people Naruto mentioned, plus the dobe himself. I hate people who are dumb, and... people in General. My dreams for the future are mostly none of your business, but I want to rebuild my clan. My chakra type is Magma."

Kakashi nodded and looked at Yugito, who was staring right through him.

"Uh...Blonde girl?" He prompted.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I'm Nii Yugito. My likes are the same as Naruto and Sasuke's...and my religion. My dislikes are people who think that Jinchuuriki are the demon they contain," Sasuke and Naruto smirked at eachother, "I also hate people who underestimate me."

Kakashi nodded, "Because you're a girl?"

Yugito shook her head, "No, because I'm Blind. My dreams for the future are to help my Aniki and my Mummy. My Chakra type is darkness."

Kakashi was imitating a fish quite nicely, "You're blind?"

Yugito grimaced and Sasuke and Naruto patted her on the back, "A side effect of my religion and my chakra type."

Kakashi slowly nodded, "I...see. I can't help but notice you mentioned Jinchuuriki..."

Naruto smiled, "You'll have to earn our trust to learn about that Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi nodded, "Alright, meet me tomorrow at six AM sharp for your real Genin exam, which has a 66 percent failure rate. Oh, and, don't eat any breakfast, you'll just throw it up." The Jounin disappeared.

"...I'm gonna walk around." Sasuke said.

"I think I'll go reacquaint myself with Ichiraku's Ramen." Naruto grinned, rubbing his hands together.

"I'll wander." Yugito told her teammates.

They all nodded and walked away from eachother.

-Yugito-

Yugito heard a sound coming from her left, it was faint but her enhanced senses caught it easily.

"Hello?" She said, going towards the sound of someone crying.

"H-hello?" Came a small sniffle.

Yugito startled when she realized she was right in front of the crying girl, so she plopped herself down.

"Hi. I'm Yugito." She introduced herself, looking in the direction of the sound of crying.

"I'm S-sakura." The girl hiccuped.

"Why are you crying Sakura-san?" Yugito asked without preamble.

Sakura was silent for a while, but Yugito could hear the sound of a tissue being crumpled and un-crumpled and figured that she was cleaning off her face.

"Well...My..My best, er, ex-best friend and I used to have a crush on this boy." Sakura began hesitantly, "But one day he just disappeared..."

"And then?"

"Then I thought we'd be friends again." Sakura said. "But neither of us said anything, then one day she just said that we would still be rivals, and she would win him over when he returned..." Sakura was crying again, So Yugito hesitantly maneuvered herself so she had an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"And we started fighting...all the time...It just got worse and worse...Then we became Genin and I realized that, other than fighting with Ino, I hadn't trained to be a shinobi at all and today…" Sakura was shaking really hard.

"What happened Today?"

"Today My team had a test and I held everyone back...I almost got them killed..." Sakura whispered brokenly.

"So train." Yugito said simply.

Sakura's head dropped, "I'm...not sure how...I come from an all civilian family"

"That's not true." Yugito admonished, "The Haruno's have a bloodline that has had Uchiha's cowering in fear."

Sakura's eyes opened wide as she looked at Yugito in disbelief, "Really?"

"Yes really."

"But..." Sakura drooped again, "There are no active shinobi in my clan at the moment and haven't been in generations."

"Then," Yugito hesistated for a moment, then sighed, "I'll just have to train you"

Sakura's jaw dropped, "But, you...You're my age!"

"And I've been training to be a shinobi since I was five." Yugito said, almost chuckling as she realized she'd been training much longer if you could count living with Anko as training...and you most definitely could.

"Oh...Okay...then what do you want me to do?"

Yugito thought for a second, and then reached for Sakura's chakra with her senses.

'Wow...I've felt Civilians with more chakra than her'

"First we'll begin with a Chakra building exercise, then You'll run...three laps...Then I'll help you umm...Learn a Taijutsu stance...then we'll try and unlock your bloodline."

Sakura nodded, "What is the chakra exercise"

"It's called Tree Climbing."

Sakura was about to ask for an elaboration, when something else occurred to her, "Ne, Yugito-sensei," Yugito started, "Three laps around...what"

Yugito thought for a moment, "Hmmm...Konoha"

Sakura began sweating profusely as Yugito began explaining and demonstrating the tree walking exercise.

-Sasuke-

Sasuke was following a thunk sound deeper and deeper into training grounds fourteen.

'Now who could be practicing with that many weapons?' He mused.

Right in front of him a clearing opened up and Sasuke stepped in before leaning against a tree.

The girl in front of him was panting profusely as she accurately threw kunai after kunai into a log.

"You're really good with those." Sasuke remarked offhandedly, just barely catching the kunai that she had thrown at his face with a startle reaction.

"Very good." He added.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, reaching her hands up to fix her brown hair which were falling out of their tidy buns.

"I heard you training." Sasuke said, shrugging.

"So?" She glared.

"Can you use a Katana?" Sasuke asked out of the blue, a hungry look entering his eyes.

"Yes." The girl replied, a look matching Sasuke's entering her eyes as she realized the potential of a sparring partner.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke." He said, biting his thumb and running it over a seal on his arm. A polished Katana appeared in his hand.

"Higurashi Tenten." She replied, opening a sealing scroll and unsealing a katana.

And with the clash of blades a friendship was formed.


	3. Chapter 3: I'll make a nin

'I'll make a man out of you' Mulan

I own nothing /Holds back tears/

Bold are Naruto's thoughts, he is watching Yugito, even when we don't see him

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"Alright my Adorable students, it's test time!" Kakashi chirped as he came walking up, three hours after he had told them to meet him.

"Any fives?" Sasuke asked Yugito, ignoring his tardy sensei.

"Nope."

"How do you know?"

"I put a bit of chakra into each of the cards of them deck to identify them."

"Oh…Hey wait! That means you know what's in our hands!" Naruto protested.

"Yep, and if you ever think of another way for me to play 'Go Fish' I'll even stop." Yugito nodded.

"So unfair." Sasuke grumbled into his hand.

"Ahem, it's time to start the test now children." Kakashi interrupted further discussion. He noted that today they had put their headbands on, Sasuke and Naruto positioned it in the usual way, strapped over their forehead, but Yugito had put it across her eyes hiding the unfocused grey orbs behind the symbol of Konoha

"Fine." Naruto sighed, standing and stretching, "Yugito was going to win anyway."

Yugito collected the cards from her teammates and tucked them into a pocket and the three Genin faced Kakashi.

"You're late Sensei." Sasuke intoned before Kakashi could continue.

"Like we weren't?" Naruto snorted.

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow and Yugito elaborated, "We were late getting into the village, and the various people we live with were… slightly displeased with us last night."

"We never should have left Hinata-chan with Anko." Naruto shivered.

"I don't know, I kind of liked it." Yugito said, her mask crinkling to show she was smirking. Sasuke and Naruto looked at her startled.

"Yes, well…" Kakashi shook his head at the insanity of his students and reached into his pocket to pull out two bells, "Your test is this, you must retrieve these two bells from me, and whomever doesn't get a bell will be sent back to the Academy."

"Uh, Sensei, is this a combat test?" Sasuke asked, nervously glancing at Yugito.

"Sort of." Kakashi acknowledged.

"Damn." Yugito grumbled and slumped against a tree.

"What?" Kakashi asked curiously.

"Do to the particulars of Yugito's religion, if she engages in combat with someone, she has to kill them." Naruto explained, "With one exception."

"What's the exception?" Kakashi asked, expertly hiding his curiosity at Yugito's 'religion'.

"My brother." Yugito sighed. "Of course, he's not really an exception, it's just impossible to kill him."

Kakashi stared blankly at the girl, "Alright…I suppose I can live with that. Naruto, Sasuke, you're fighting for the bells, and if you wish I suppose you could take both bells and give one to Yugito."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other and nodded before simultaneously launching themselves at Kakashi.

Kakashi fended them off without any effort for a while, watching their strange taijutsu stances with interest and not allowing them to get any hits on him.

"Huh, you two are good. I guess it's time to move onto some lessons." Kakashi decided.

Naruto and Sasuke stopped attacking immediately and then jumped back. Sasuke looked behind Kakashi and smirked while Naruto snickered.

Remembering Yugito Kakashi whirled around, prepared to defend himself, only to be met by his blind student holding the two bells in the hand that was running across the pages of Icha Icha.

"What…How…" Kakashi looked at the three Genin.

"You forgot about me as soon as you registered me as a noncombatant." Yugito explained.

"We've done things like this before." Naruto acknowledged.

"Yugito really can't get in a fight unless she plans on killing her opponent, so he explains herself and makes to sit out." Sasuke added.

"But I'm not fighting if I slip in once your guard is down and steal whatever we need from the shadows." Yugito finished cheerfully.

Kakashi sighed and nodded, accepting his mistake, "Alright Yugito, which of your teammates pass?"

"Both." Yugito tossed the bells to both boys with surprising accuracy considering her blindness. Naruto and Sasuke caught the bells and shrugged.

"If you don't pass Yugito we'll just quit, too, sensei. We are a Team, regardless of how this test goes." Naruto said quite seriously, Sasuke nodding his agreement.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow and looked at Yugito, "Do you feel this way as well?"

"Always." Yugito nodded.

"Very well then…You pass!" Kakashi smiled at his new team.

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Yugito smiled to herself as Sakura helped her friend Ino figure out the tree walking exercise

_"Yugito-sensei, Ino hasn't been training either...I was wondering if She could come with me tomorrow?"_

_"Will it distract you?"_

_"No."_

_"Will it challenge you?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Bring her."_

**Let's get down to business... To defeat the Sound.**

"Alright, bring it in you two." Yugito called when she sensed Ino's dwindling chakra move successfully up and down the tree several times.

"I want you running five laps around Konoha." Yugito instructed.

"That's insane!" Ino protested.

"I only did three yesterday!"

**Did they send me children, when I asked for nin?**

"I'm not gonna lie, you're the saddest nin I've ever met, but you can bet before we're through," Yugito disappeared and wrapped an arm around them both, smiling through her mask, "Ladies, I'll make a nin out of you."

Ino and Sakura finally began running and Yugito followed, "Girls, you are Konoha. Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within. Once you find your center, you are sure to win."

Ino sent her a look questioning her sanity.

"Don't give me that look child, you're spineless, pale, pathetic Kuniochi, and you haven't got a clue but somehow I'll make a nin out of you."

Ino and Sakura's thoughts varied as they got more tired while running. After a bit Yugito began throwing kunai at them to keep them going.

'I'm never gonna catch my breath!' Ino thought in fear.

'I should say good-bye to those who knew me.' Sakura decided, her sides aching as she panted.

'Boy was I a fool in school for cutting gym.' They both decided, pushing on to avoide Yugito's kunai, despite their protesting muscles.

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"Explain to me again the purpose of chasing this stupid cat-"

"Hey!"

"-Babysitting, gardening, and painting as missions?" Sasuke demanded as Yugito cuddled Tora gently as they walked back to the Hokage's tower, sending minor amounts of killing intent at Sasuke.

"Catching Tora is both easier and harder than catching a missing nin." Kakashi lectured them, "Gardening can teach you which plants are edible, and which ones are inedible for long missions where you have to find your own food and a lot of nobles are no better than the children we babysit."

"And the Painting?" Naruto enquired.

"Kohaku-san threw his back out last week and couldn't do it himself." Kakashi told the Genin lightly.

They fumed in silence, shooting death glares at their grey haired sensei.

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Sarutobi Asuma peered out from behind a tree, watching Yugito train his blonde student and her friend, 'This chicks got them scared to death!'

Kurenai watched Asuma, wincing as he glanced back at her, motioning to the blind ninja incredulously 'Hope he doesn't see right through me...'

When Ino and Sakura finished Yugito made them begin water walking.

'Now I really wish that I knew how to swim.' Ino thought glumly, climbing out of the freezing river for what felt like the millionth time.

Yugito began lecturing again, "You are nin, you must be swift as the coursing rain with all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire, and mysterious as the dark side of the moon."

**Time is racing towards us tills the Sound arrives.**

"Heed my every order, and you might survive."

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"This is enough Old Man!" Naruto snapped, "Our team is more than qualified for a C-rank at the very least!"

"Naruto." Iruka chastised, "It's up to Hokage-sama and your sensei to decide-"

"I agree." Kakashi sighed, shutting his Icha Icha, "Naruto, Yugito, and Sasuke are more than capable of a C-rank mission, especially with me along to help them."

"Hmm" Sarutobi perused the scrolls in front of him, "Well, it just so happens I do have a C-rank mission here."

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"Yugito-sensei." Sakura complained, "This doesn't seem like real ninja training...why are we doing this?"

Yugito looked at her, blind eyes piercing, "You're unsuited for the rage of war, so if you can't handle the training pack up, go home, you're through. You can't take this training? Then how could I make a nin out of you?"

Sakura and Ino's eyes hardened and they went back to their training with vigor.

'We must be swift as the coursing rain.' Ino thought, running across a river as she nimbly avoided the kunai Yugito started throwing at her.

'With all the force of a great typhoon.' Ino kicked at Sakura, who blocked with her forearm, the loud sound reverberating the only indication of how hard the petite kunoichi had hit.

'With all the strength of a raging fire.' Sakura twisted her fingers and blew a fireball she would have been totally incapable of weeks ago, before she had begun training under Yugito,

'Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!' The two girls knelt in front of Yugito, wearing darker, more well protected versions of the outfits they had come before in weeks earlier. Despite being unable to see them Yugito could sense that their chakra, much larger now than it had been, was cloaked and they had a much more serious aura about them.

With much bravado Yugito placed her hands on the girls' shoulders. "You'll do." She told them proudly.

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"Tazuna-san, why don't you come in and meet the team that's going to escort you back to Wave and protect you while you build your bridge?" The Hokage called.

An old man walked in, taking a deep draught from a bottle of Sake, eyeing them, "You're kidding me right? The short one looks like he couldn't hurt a fly, the emo looks like he'd rather brood than even think of protecting me, and… is she… is she blind?"

"I assure you Tazuna-san, we are more than capable of keeping you safe from even the most skilled bandit." Kakashi reassured him, "And, ah, yes, she is blind, but she's a little sensitive and may kill you if you bring it up as a negative trait."

Tazuna glanced at the girl who did indeed have a murderous surrounding her.

"Great." He sighed, taking another long drink from his Sake.

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**I really am so sorry for leaving this story for so long! I'm on break right now, so I will do everything I can to get This and TR:R up to level and on a steady update schedule!**

**Next Chapter we'll see Hinata, Neji, Temari, and Gaara more.**

**Again, so Sorry for letting this just sit for so long!**


	4. Chapter 4: In which nothing gets done

Alrighty, to get started I just wanted to say I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story in so long and I will work on that I promise.

**Important: I've done some editing, last chapter had several scenes that will be important to understand this chapter!**

With all the information that has been released since I last updated everything has become very AU. This story is cannonish only to the end of the Chuunin exams, after that I'll incorporate what we know as we go if it gets incorporated at all.

Iruka, in my story, is more a father figure as he was introduced to the kids as Anko's boyfriend rather than their sensei

Also, the Genin Teams are as follows

Team 10 under Asuma: Shikamaru, Choji, Ino

Team 8 under Kurenai: Sakura, Kiba, Shino

Team 9 under Gai: Neji, Tenten, Lee

Team 11 under Inoichi: Hinata, Temari, Gaara

And of course our beloved Team 7 under Kakashi: Yugito, Sasuke, Naruto. Team Seven is still called as such because the team that Kakashi originally failed was going to be Team Seven, but Yugito, Sasuke, and Naruto showed up and got shoved into that slot instead of being assigned a new number.

Also, the main Pairing is NaruYuHina, NarutoxYugito, NarutoxHinata, YugitoxHinata. I'm open to suggestions for any other pairings (gay, straight, or otherwise) and will do my best to insert them without having them detract from the story.

That being said, welcome back to I'm Sorry

Disclaimer: I own nothing

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At that particular moment the door opened and another team walked in.

"Team Inoichi here to report a successful mission." A blonde man with long spiky hair stated as he walked in followed by three very familiar people.

"Heya Gaara, Temari-chan, Hinata-chan." Sasuke greeted them warmly, Naruto and Yugito shifting slightly behind him, the greeting they'd received when they'd first gotten home fresh in their minds.

_Flashback_

Naruto opened the door to his clan compound slowly, peering into the penetrating darkness timidly, "Anko? Iruka? Mikoto-kaasan?" He called hesitantly.

Two snakes shot out of the darkness and wrapped themselves around Naruto, dragging him into the darkness. Sasuke, his mask down around his throat, looked over at Yugito, only to watch in horror as a whip wrapped itself around her and drug her in after her teammate.

"Sasuke-chan." A dangerously sweet voice called from the darkness, "Come in, and close the door behind you."

Sasuke considered his options for a moment before sighing and walking into the darkness, closing the door with a resounding 'Snick'.

The lights turned on, revealing Naruto and Yugito gagged and tied to two chairs, the makeshift family they had left behind gathered around them and glaring at Sasuke.

"A note?" Anko asked dangerously, "You three left us a note? 'Hey everyone, we're going to be gone for a few years training, we'll send updates, love you! -Naruto, Yugito, Sasuke'."

Naruto muffled something through his gag, but was ignored.

Sasuke gulped and searched for a suitable excuse, eyes roaming the assembled group as he did so.

Anko and Iruka had changed very little since they had left. Anko was wearing a tube top under her mesh, and Iruka was wearing a Jounin jacket rather than a Chuunin jacket. His mother was wearing typical Jounin gear and her headband, rather than the plain kimono she had worn when he was a young boy. He glanced at Gaara and Temari, who seemed the most passive but he could see the dangerous glint in their eyes that signified their anger and knew he'd receive no sympathy from them. Unknown to him they were wearing clothes identical to what they'd worn in the first timeline. Next to them Neji seemed somewhat amused by the whole spectacle, arms folded over a light grey jacket. Sasuke looked hopefully at Hinata, memories of a sweet timid girl laughing as Anko chased Naruto around the house with a kunai surfacing, but the girl before him was quite different.

Hinata was wearing a black tank top that clung to her body, her matching pants were baggy and covered in pockets, her blue black hair was cut short and she had a stern look on her face as she watched him, the whip that had grabbed Yugito was curled under one arm.

"It...it was Naruto's idea?" He answer cautiously.

His mother's stern glare and Naruto's muffled protest were his only reply.

"We were afraid you would stop us. This was very important to us and it has helped us become better shinobi as a result." Sasuke sighed.

"Sasuke," His mother slowly approached him and, much to his surprise, wrapped him in a very tight hug, "I'd just lost my husband, and my oldest son, then my youngest son up and disappears with his two friends, whom I also felt were my children! How do you think you made me feel? I didn't even get to watch you grow up!"

"Kaachan..." Sasuke mumbled helplessly, looking at the surrounding nins and his tied up friends guiltily.

"It really was important Mikoto-kaasan." Yugito said quietly from the ceiling, the tied clone disappearing with a scattering of shadows, "We wouldn't have left unless we really felt the need to."

"And we took time to write you very long letters letting you know we were okay." Sasuke added, lightly returning his mothers hug.

Mikoto sighed and led Sasuke off to talk.

"Yugito-chan." Hinata called up to the ceiling, "Before you left you promised to play a game with me." The whip wrapped around the blind kunoichi, who gulped loudly, and Hinata's voice took on a very Anko-like tone, "And now we're going to play."

Hinata drug Yugito off, leaving the still bound Naruto to Anko and Iruka, who frowned at the blonde boy.

Naruto cursed his friends and in his mind Kira laughed uproariously.

_Flashback End_

"Hello Sasuke, Naruto, Yugito." Temari smiled at them.

"Hokage-sama, my team has successfully completed all the missions assigned to them up to this point and I think I would like them to attempt a C-rank." The blonde man said formally.

"I'm sorry Inoichi-san, but I just assigned our last C-Rank to Kakashi-kun and his team...unless Kakashi would like to make this a joint mission?" The Sandaime turned a questioning eye on Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at his three students, then Inoichi and his three students, "Actually Hokage-sama I think that would be a great idea, it will teach my team to work with comrades in the field and would provide welcome backup incase of unwanted occurrences."

The Hokage nodded and looked at Inoichi, "Do you have any objections Inoichi-san?"

"Not at all Hokage-sama."

"Very Well." Sarutobi nodded and glanced at the bridge builder, "Do you have any objections Tazuna-san?

"None at all Hokage-sama." Tazuna bowed his head.

"What, no snarky remarks about Team Inoichi?" Yugito grumbled.

"They look like ninja, brat." Tazuna smirked at her.

"Meet at the front gates in two hours?" Kakashi asked Inoichi cheerfully, holding back his enraged Genin.

"Two hours and no later Kakashi." Inoichi told him with an indulgent smile before turning to his genin, "Two hours kids, pack essentials only. Hinata, Anko has signed off on your whip as a viable weapon, so you may bring it. Temari, Asuma has signed off on your fans as viable weapons, so you may bring them. Dismissed."

Temari, Gaara, and Hinata saluted Inoichi smartly before leaping out to window behind the Hokage.

Kakashi's nose wrinkled visibly from under his mask and he glanced at his team. "Why aren't you guys that respectful to me?" He asked plaintively.

"We dress kinda like you, and they say that mimicry is the ultimate complement, or something like that." Naruto offered.

"You dressed like that before you ever met me." Kakashi protested.

"Take it or leave it." Sasuke shrugged and turned to the door, "Come on Dobe, Hime, or we won't make it to the gate in time."

"We have two hours." Yugito pointed out.

"Two hours to pack, and them say good-bye to Kaasan, Anko, and Iruka." Sasuke corrected.

Yugito and Naruto paled and the three of them sprinted from the room, Sasuke maintaining his composure unlike his two terrified teammates.

Tazuna mumbled something under his breathe before retreating from the office with a bow to the Hokage and a hesitant glance at the two Jounin, leaving Sarutobi alone with Kakashi and Inoichi.

Inoichi leveled a Look at Kakashi who smiled at him, the action given away by his eye.

"Kakashi...what kind of game are you playing? Those three don't act like shinobi at all! They act like chidren playing a game!"

Kakashi's smile vanished and he became serious, "Inoichi, those three are some of the most serious genin I've ever seen." He held up a hand to ward off Inoichi's protests, "Yes, they may appear to act silly, unlike you're little soldiers, but they aren't just what you see."

Inoichi stared at Kakashi for a moment before sighing and offered a, "Look underneath the underneath, eh Hatake?"

Kakashi eye-smiled at him, "Always Yamanaka."

Sarutobi cleared his throat pointedly, "Gentlemen, you _do_ have a mission in two hours. Perhaps you should be gathering supplies and making arrangements for anything that might be needing looked after?"

"Of course Hokage-sama." Both Jounin bowed, recognizing the dismissal for what it was and disappearing in a shunshin.

...

Eight genin stood at the main gates, six ready for their mission and two getting some last minute training details from their part-time sensei.

"No shirking you two." Yugito was finishing in her instructions, "I'll be able to tell when I get back if you haven't been following your training schedules."

"Hai Sensei." Ino and Sakura chanted, bowing their heads.

Yugito smiled proudly, the motion visible because her mask was currently around her neck, "I'm proud of you two, you've made a huge amount of progress in the time that I've been putting you through hell. When I get back, I do expect you to have mastered Water Walking, and we'll get to work on Kunai Balancing when I get back."

Sakura and Ino nodded and then departed, presumably to return to training.

Her 'students' gone, Yugito leaned against a wall and pulled out her braille Icha Icha and began running her fingers across the pages.

Nearby Naruto and Temari were talking quietly, the latter occasionally reaching down to stroke two hand fans that were sheathed in two special made holsters in her belt. Gaara and Hinata were also engaged in conversation with Sasuke occasionally interjecting.

"Minions!" Crowed a familiar voice and the genin turned as one to see Kakashi and Inoichi escorting Tazuna to them.

"They aren't your minions Kakashi." Inoichi said with a small amount of embarrassment.

"No, your Genin aren't my minions," Kakashi corrected, "Naru-chan, Yugi-chan, and Sasu-chan are most definitely minions."

Team Inoichi were giving him a strange look and Temari glanced at their counterparts, "This...feels like a conversation he's had before..." She remarked.

"Oh it is." Yugito assured her, carefully closing her Icha Icha and tucking it in a pouch.

"Kakashi-sensei petitioned the Hokage to have our team name changed to 'Team Kakashi and Minions.'" Naruto added.

"Hokage-sama said no, right?" Temari asked, frowning.

"Not yet." Sasuke grumbled, "He's letting it hang in limbo as counter blackmail."

"You have blackmail on Hokage-sama?" Inoichi asked, scandalized.

"Nothing damaging." Yugito assured him, "Just enough that he likes to keep the threat of us being called something ridiculous hanging in the balance to discourage us from attempting to use it."

"Ahem." Tazuna cleared his throat, causing the gathered ninja to remember he was there.

"Right." Kakashi nodded, suddenly all business, "Diamond formation around the client, Inoichi and I will take rear. Inoichi has briefed me on your specific forte's, so I've assigned you your spot as such. Hinata, Naruto, you are to take point. Hinata is a long range combat nin with a bloodline that let's her see 360 degrees and can channel chakra through her whip, Naruto. Naruto is a short ranged nin with a rare chakra type that he incorporates in his jutsu and he has a rare bloodline meant for information gathering."

Naruto and Hinata nodded to each other and moved around Tazuna into a point position.

"Temari and Sasuke, you take the right point. Temari is a Mid-to-Long range fighter specializing in wind techniques and her primary weapons are her fan, which she can use her chakra to hone to a cutting edge and enforce to be nearly unbreakable. Sasuke is a Mid-to-Short range fighter, his primary weapon is a katana that he enhances with his unique chakra type, he has the Sharingan Bloodline active."

Temari sized Sasuke up and he cocked an eyebrow at her before they took their spots to the right of Tazuna.

"Gaara and Yugito, you will take left point. Yugito is not allowed to engage in combat unless a fatality is necessary for reasons too lengthy to get into right now, she has training as a med-nin as well. Gaara is a defensive nin with an 'unbreakable' shield. Gaara, I'd ask that you restrain Yugito from combat if at all possible unless myself or Inoichi indicate otherwise."

Gaara nodded and took left point without comment, Inoichi and Tazuna were looking at Yugito in confusion, but Temari, Hinata, and Gaara had been briefed on Team Seven's skills because they lived together. In reality the breakdown of skills had been for Tazuna's benefit so he understood why he was safest in the center.

Without another word the ragtag band of Genin, Jounin, and one civilian made their way out of Konoha's gates and into the surrounding forest.

Before too long idle chatter broke out among the group.

"Yugito," Hinata called, not looking back at the girl because of her active bloodline, "What did you say to Neji the other day? He's been rather preoccupied with fate lately."

"I just gave him a breakdown of the nine bijuu the other day." Yugito replied, kicking a rock down the path.

"The nine bijuu?" Tazuna asked curiously.

"The nine bijuu are the demons the the first Hokage subdued and then distributed to the ninja villages of the elemental nations as a sign of good will." Inoichi reported calmly, eyes casually scanning the treetops as they walked.

"Kinda true," Yugito nodded, diverting from the path for half of a second to retrieve the rock she had been kicking, "The bijuu are in reality Gods with animal forms. Because most animals already have patron gods, most people assumed that the bijuu were demons."

"So what are they Gods of, if not the animals whose forms they take?" Inoichi asked curiously.

"Well, I don't know all of the bijuu by name, or what they are in control of, I've pretty familiar with three of them." Yugito remarked cheerily, "First, in order of least tails to most the Nibi no Nekomata, the two tailed hell cat, or Jashin God of Fate. Then there's Gobi no Ookami, the five tailed wolf, or Hitoshi God of Magma. Finally there's Akira, Goddess of Luck, better known at the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

"Goddess of Luck, huh? Doesn't seem that lucky if your Yondaime killed her." Tazuna remarked, taking a sip of his sake.

"Luck can be good or bad." Naruto called over his shoulder, "Which is important to remember."

"How did this lead to Neji's latest obsession with fate?" Hinata directed the topic back to her original question.

"He was asking how there can be a God of fate and what that specifically entails." Yugito shrugged, knowing Hinata would see it with her Byakugan, "I told him that, while most of our lives are left up to chance, there are major events in our lives which will never change."

"Isn't there a cult devoted to that Jashin fellow?" Tazuna interupted.

"They aren't as much a cult as a small following," Yugito rebuked, "but yes, there are a few worshipers of Jashin who could, in a roundabout vague way, be considered a cult. They are called Jashinists, and they believe that anyone who engages in a fight with them is destined to die, most specifically dying at the hands of the Jashinist who has been offended."

"Is there any truth to this belief?" Temari asked, peering over Tazuna at Yugito, who smirked forward.

"Supposedly any true Jashinist is immortal, so I'd say there's truth to it."

"Immortal?" Gaara asked curiously, "That seems like a large prize for true belief and the death of your opponents."

"To be a true Jashinist you must give up something of great value to you. Something a part of you that you can never get back." Sasuke said solemnly.

"Like what?" Temari scoffed.

"Like your humanity, your ability to reproduce, or your eyesight." Yugito told her blankly.

This statement evoked silence, broken only by the sound of a splash as Yugito tossed her rock into a puddle on the road.

"Hey Inoichi-sensei," Gaara drew his sensei's attention casually, ignoring the tense feeling in the air caused by Yugito's revelation, "When was the last time it rained?"

"It's been a few weeks." Inoichi started to say, but was interrupted by two chains springing out of the puddle and wrapping around himself and Kakashi. Before any of the Genin could do anything the chains tightened and tore the two jounin into pieces.

Two figures rose from the puddle Yugito had dropped her rock into and drew their chains back, preparing for another attack.

"Idiots!" Yelled Naruto, surprising Hinata, Temari, and Gaara by walking forward and bonking the two attacking nins heads together, "Did Zabuza-sensei teach you nothing? Did you not notice we were walking with them?"

"Aw, Naru-chan." Moaned the nin on the right, "What if you were a prisoner? We might have been trying to save you!"

"Meizu, why would we be prisoners if we were all wearing the same headband?" Sasuke sighed.

"It was Gozu's idea?" The now identified Meizu offered.

"Yeah, right idiot." Gozu smacked his brother in the back of the head.

"Ahem." Yugito cleared her throat delicately and pointed in the general direction of the trees, "Why don't our esteemed Jounin rejoin us before they have heart attacks over our casual approach to two missing nin?"

Inoichi and Kakashi jumped out from the trees, the latter looking appropriatly shocked and horrified at the blasé attitude of Kakashi's team, while the former had his nose buried in Icha Icha.

"Genin, how do you know these criminals?" Inoichi demanded.

"Mah, Inoichi, why don't you let me interrogate my team?" Kakashi chirped. He eye smiled at the bemused genin and missing nin, "Minions, why don't you introduce us to your friends?"

"Kakashi-sensei, these are Meizu and Gozu, the Demon Brothers of Kirigakure.." Yugito said respectfully, "We trained alongside them during our trip."

"Meizu, Gozu, these are Kakashi-sensei, Inoichi-sensei, Hinata-chan, Temari-chan, and Gaara. Kakashi-sensei is our official Konoha sensei and the others are our temporary teammates." Naruto filled in.

"Meizu-san, Gozu-san, may I ask why you are here?" Kakashi inquired respectfully.

"Kakashi! What are you doing? These are missing nin! _Enemy_ missing nin!" Inoichi hissed.

"Inoichi, I have learned one thing from my students," Kakashi told his fellow jounin stoically, "The only things that are certain are the Laws of Physics, and depending on how much sugar my genin have consumed, even the Laws of Physics are not that certain."

Ignoring the aside Kakashi and Inoichi had done, Cozu stepped forward to answer Kakashi's original question.

"We were hired by Gato to kill the bridge builder, but seeing as the brats are here," He nodded to Team 7, "I've got the feeling that the boss isn't going to keep to that anymore."

"Tazuna-san, would you care to explain why a wealthy shipping magnate is sending missing nin after you?" Kakashi enquired pleasantly.

With a dramatic sigh Tazuna explained the situation in Wave, how Gato was destroying the people by cutting off all shipping routes, and raising taxes to unbearable prices.

Kakashi sighed and cast his eyes to the heavens

"Kakashi, I can't in good faith keep my team on this mission." Inoichi told the cyclops quietly.

Kakashi nodded, "That is... understandable Inoichi... I'm going to ask my team, and pending their decision we will return with you, or ask that you have the Hokage send reinforcements."

Inoichi nodded and with a handsign gathered Hinata, Gaara, and Temari back a bit.

"Yugito, Sasuke, Naruto," Kakashi addressed his students, "I feel like this mission is within your...scope of abilities, particularly if your friends," He nodded at Meizu and Gozu, "And their boss are willing to help us, but I leave the final decision about whether or not we continue up to you."

"I want to go on, sensei." Sasuke answered without hesitation.

"Me too." Yugito nodded.

Naruto smiled vaguely, memories of a past life flashing before his eyes, "Looks like we're carving on ahead."

Kakashi nodded and looked at the Demon Brothers.

"We've got to report back to the boss," Meizu said, "But once he learns the brats are here, he'll show up."

Kakashi nodded and looked back Inoichi, "We'll go on, tell the Hokage we might be working in tandem with some other nin."

"Will do Kakashi." Inoichi nodded.

As Team 11 started back toward Konoha, Termari looked at her teacher with a frown.

"Inoichi-sensei, if Team 7 is going on, why are we headed back?"

"Temari-chan, how many D-ranks do we do a week?" Inoichi asked without looking at her.

"One a week, for the past three months." Temari reported.

"And how many hours a day do we train?"

"Four. Three hours individual and one hour as a team."Temari replied, not quite understanding where this line of questioning was leading.

"Hinata-chan, when do your housemates on Team 7 leave in the morning?" Inoichi turned to his other female student.

"O-five-hundred hours." Hinata told his without a pause.

"Gaara-kun, when do your housemates on Team 7 return at night?"

"Eighteen-Hundred hours." Gaara replied.

"Team 7 does individual training from the moment they leave the house until noon. Then Kakashi shows up, they do a D-rank, and the rest of the time is spent in team training. Every. Day." Inoichi pointedly told Temari, "Only Kakashi and Hokage-sama himself know how strong those kids are."

Gaara frowned and glanced over his shoulder at the shrinking figures of his friends wondering just how strong they all were.

And more importantly, what were they so worried about that they felt that had to be that strong.

././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

Alright! And that's the end of this chapter!

Towards the end I realized I was setting this story up to be a Super!Naruto Super!Sasuke Super!Yugito.

Well, to be honest with you, I kind of meant to.

This isn't to say that they'll be able to defeat Orochimaru without any issue, or even any of the Akatsuki member.

In the Databook the Akatsuki members are scored in power from 31.5 to 35. I see Naruto, Yugito, and Sasuke as being about 28 at this moment in time. Kakashi is, I believe, 33 or 34.

In other news, this chapter was very hard to write, halfway through the chapter I realized I still wasn't 100% sure how I wanted to portray Hinata, Gaara, and Temari, and having to deal with that through the whole Wave Arc just wouldn't work for me, so I decided to have Inoichi do the responsible thing and get his team back to Konoha.

I know I said I'd have Neji in this chapter, and didnt, but I'll try to work him in next chapter, I swear!

Thank you for all your support, Please Review and let me know what you think.


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